'Hot death' warning on climate

THE world would be condemned to a "hot death" if it did not
pursue so-called clean coal technologies and attempts to tackle
global warming should not come at the expense of economic growth,
according to federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell.

He also said there was no real upside into pumping more money
into old technologies such as wind turbines.

Senator Campbell yesterday welcomed a decision by the 157
countries that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol on climate change
to begin a new round of negotiations to cut greenhouse gas
emissions. However, he did not budge from Australia's decision to
continue to rely heavily on fossil fuels, such as coal.

"Coal and fossil fuels will still be a part of the future needs
of the world in 80 years' time," Senator Campbell told The
Age en route to Australia from the climate change negotiations
in Montreal.

"You have to do renewables but if you don't focus on
cleaning up fossil fuels you are condemning the world to a hot
death," Senator Campbell said.

He said evidence that burning fossil fuels was changing the
world's climate was becoming "irrefutable" but "the fact is we want
strong economic growth people want secure jobs".

Australia and the US have refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol,
pushing instead for voluntary agreements. Last week Senator
Campbell claimed Kyoto was almost buried and that other countries
were realising Australia was right not to join.

However, nearly every industrialised nation agreed on Saturday
to engage in talks aimed at producing a new set of binding limits
on greenhouse gas emissions that would take effect from 2012.

In a separate agreement, a broader coalition of nearly 200
nations agreed to an "open and non-binding" dialogue that would not
lead to any "new commitments" to reduce carbon dioxide emissions
associated with climate change.

Senator Campbell said Australia had started negotiations on a
"post-Kyoto approach" with countries part of the Asia-Pacific
Partnership for Clean Development and Climate.

He said Kyoto was ineffective and countries instead needed to
focus on developing new technologies.

Shadow environment minister Anthony Albanese said other
countries would be "confused" by Australia's position. He said the
Government's refusal to ratify meant that Australia would increase
its emissions by 23 per cent by 2020.

"Australia must now join the rest of the world in ratifying the
Kyoto Protocol," Mr Albanese said.

Australian Conservation Foundation executive director Don Henry
said Senator Campbell's claims that Kyoto was irrelevant and
ineffective was "wildly inaccurate".

"The world's first strong agreement to tackle climate change is
alive and kicking but the Australian Government's lack of action to
cut spiralling domestic greenhouse pollution and (its)
international spoiling role is damaging our reputation and future,"
he said.